DILLON - Dickinson State (1-5) got a season-high 13 points from Trey Hladky and held a lead late in the first half, but #23 Montana Tech (4-0) battled back to beat the Blue Hawks, 76-68, in the finale of the Montana Western Classic for both teams.
Both teams came out firing from deep in the first half, as Dickinson State went 6-15 from three while Montana Tech was 7-14. Gus Wright got the Blue Hawk offense going early, scoring all of his nine points in the first five minutes of the game as the teams were knotted at 12-12 with 15:27 remaining in the half. Tyce Dahlberg and John Evans each hit triples in a stretch that saw both teams combine to hit five three-point jumpers in just over three minutes of game-time. After the barrage, Montana Tech led 23-18 with 10:18 remaining, but a few plays later another DSU three-pointer, this one by Kose Egbule, tied the game at 25-25. A three by Hladky put the Blue Hawks on top at 31-28 with 5:29 left in the half, but the lead did not hold as the Orediggers took at 40-37 lead into the break.
The second half wasn't quite as frantic as the first, with both teams only hitting four three-pointers each, but Montana Tech took care of the ball, only turning it over once in the half, and went wire-to-wire with their second half lead for the 76-68 victory. DSU got within one point at 51-50 on a Jaiden Wright three, but couldn't tie or take the lead and the Tech lead ballooned to 10, 66-56, with 5:03 left in the game. DSU couldn't get back to within less than five the rest of the way and the nationally ranked Orediggers took the victory.
Tyce Dahlberg finished with eight points and seven rebounds for the Blue Hawks, and Egbule had seven and seven to tie for the team lead in boards. Bradyn Palmer had another strong showing off the bench with nine points on 3-4 shooting. DSU outrebounded MTU 35-34, but a 10-4 difference in turnovers proved to be the difference for Tech. Only 18 personal fouls were called in the game as both teams were content to shoot from deep much of the game.
WHATS NEXT
The Blue Hawks will head to Butte, Montana to take on University of Providence on Friday 11/18 and then see the Orediggers in a rematch on Saturday 11/19.
